diff --git a/plugins/Cardinal/src/Ildaeil.cpp b/plugins/Cardinal/src/Ildaeil.cpp
index 03ed88d..f246738 100644
--- a/plugins/Cardinal/src/Ildaeil.cpp
+++ b/plugins/Cardinal/src/Ildaeil.cpp
@@ -26,6 +26,11 @@
 #include "water/streams/MemoryOutputStream.h"
 #include "water/xml/XmlDocument.h"
 
+extern "C" {
+// private method that takes ownership, we can use it to avoid superfulous allocations
+json_t *jsonp_stringn_nocheck_own(const char* value, size_t len);
+}
+
 #define BUFFER_SIZE 128
 
 // generates a warning if this is defined as anything else
@@ -221,6 +226,34 @@ struct IldaeilModule : Module {
         return 0;
     }
 
+    json_t* dataToJson() override
+    {
+        if (fCarlaHostHandle == nullptr)
+            return nullptr;
+
+        CarlaEngine* const engine = carla_get_engine_from_handle(fCarlaHostHandle);
+
+        water::MemoryOutputStream projectState;
+        engine->saveProjectInternal(projectState);
+
+        const size_t dataSize = projectState.getDataSize();
+        return jsonp_stringn_nocheck_own(static_cast<const char*>(projectState.getDataAndRelease()), dataSize);
+    }
+
+    void dataFromJson(json_t* const rootJ) override
+    {
+        if (fCarlaHostHandle == nullptr)
+            return;
+
+        const char* const projectState = json_string_value(rootJ);
+        DISTRHO_SAFE_ASSERT_RETURN(projectState != nullptr,);
+
+        CarlaEngine* const engine = carla_get_engine_from_handle(fCarlaHostHandle);
+
+        water::XmlDocument xml(projectState);
+        engine->loadProjectInternal(xml, true);
+    }
+
     void process(const ProcessArgs&) override
     {
         if (fCarlaPluginHandle == nullptr)
diff --git a/src/Makefile.cardinal.mk b/src/Makefile.cardinal.mk
index 59cbeb1..407d596 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.cardinal.mk
+++ b/src/Makefile.cardinal.mk
@@ -42,18 +42,18 @@ CARLA_EXTRA_LIBS += $(CARLA_BUILD_DIR)/modules/$(CARLA_BUILD_TYPE)/water.a
 CARLA_EXTRA_LIBS += $(CARLA_BUILD_DIR)/modules/$(CARLA_BUILD_TYPE)/zita-resampler.a
 # CARLA_EXTRA_LIBS += $(CARLA_BUILD_DIR)/modules/$(CARLA_BUILD_TYPE)/eel2.a
 # CARLA_EXTRA_LIBS += $(CARLA_BUILD_DIR)/modules/$(CARLA_BUILD_TYPE)/jsusfx.a
-ifeq ($(USING_JUCE),true)
-CARLA_EXTRA_LIBS += $(CARLA_BUILD_DIR)/modules/$(CARLA_BUILD_TYPE)/juce_audio_basics.a
-CARLA_EXTRA_LIBS += $(CARLA_BUILD_DIR)/modules/$(CARLA_BUILD_TYPE)/juce_audio_processors.a
-CARLA_EXTRA_LIBS += $(CARLA_BUILD_DIR)/modules/$(CARLA_BUILD_TYPE)/juce_core.a
-CARLA_EXTRA_LIBS += $(CARLA_BUILD_DIR)/modules/$(CARLA_BUILD_TYPE)/juce_data_structures.a
-CARLA_EXTRA_LIBS += $(CARLA_BUILD_DIR)/modules/$(CARLA_BUILD_TYPE)/juce_events.a
-CARLA_EXTRA_LIBS += $(CARLA_BUILD_DIR)/modules/$(CARLA_BUILD_TYPE)/juce_graphics.a
-CARLA_EXTRA_LIBS += $(CARLA_BUILD_DIR)/modules/$(CARLA_BUILD_TYPE)/juce_gui_basics.a
-ifeq ($(USING_JUCE_GUI_EXTRA),true)
-CARLA_EXTRA_LIBS += $(CARLA_BUILD_DIR)/modules/$(CARLA_BUILD_TYPE)/juce_gui_extra.a
-endif
-endif
+# # ifeq ($(USING_JUCE),true)
+# # CARLA_EXTRA_LIBS += $(CARLA_BUILD_DIR)/modules/$(CARLA_BUILD_TYPE)/juce_audio_basics.a
+# # CARLA_EXTRA_LIBS += $(CARLA_BUILD_DIR)/modules/$(CARLA_BUILD_TYPE)/juce_audio_processors.a
+# # CARLA_EXTRA_LIBS += $(CARLA_BUILD_DIR)/modules/$(CARLA_BUILD_TYPE)/juce_core.a
+# # CARLA_EXTRA_LIBS += $(CARLA_BUILD_DIR)/modules/$(CARLA_BUILD_TYPE)/juce_data_structures.a
+# # CARLA_EXTRA_LIBS += $(CARLA_BUILD_DIR)/modules/$(CARLA_BUILD_TYPE)/juce_events.a
+# # CARLA_EXTRA_LIBS += $(CARLA_BUILD_DIR)/modules/$(CARLA_BUILD_TYPE)/juce_graphics.a
+# # CARLA_EXTRA_LIBS += $(CARLA_BUILD_DIR)/modules/$(CARLA_BUILD_TYPE)/juce_gui_basics.a
+# # ifeq ($(USING_JUCE_GUI_EXTRA),true)
+# # CARLA_EXTRA_LIBS += $(CARLA_BUILD_DIR)/modules/$(CARLA_BUILD_TYPE)/juce_gui_extra.a
+# # endif
+# # endif
 # ifneq ($(MACOS),true)
 # CARLA_EXTRA_LIBS += -Wl,--no-whole-archive -Wl,--end-group
 # endif